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Hyssop, a survey of old uses
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| Old uses and other uses of hyssop laid bare. |
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I'll be clean". [King David in Psalm 51] - Not nuts, that is.
What is more, his son, Solomon, "was wiser than any other man—He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish." [1 Kings 4:31,33]
Contents
WORDS OF CAUTION: Any information given on this page is not intended to be taken as a
replacement for medical advice. Any person with a condition requiring medical attention
should consult a well qualified practitioner or therapist.Besides, careful, judicious "well medleys" are presupposed throughout:
Ritual uses of hyssop
Bible friends, ritual uses of herbs occur - even as a lasting ordinance that is defunct today . . . [See Exodus 12: 21-24]Cleanse me ... whiter than snow
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| Hyssop |
Have mercy on me, God, ... blot out my transgressions. [1]EH, GOD himself instituted ritual uses of hyssop through Moses, as you can see below. [Check] The old uses were in part to form non-dispensable, integral parts of lasting ordinances, and some come close to magic!
and cleanse me from my sin. [2]
... my sin is always before me. [3]
Surely I was ... sinful from the time my mother conceived me. [5]
Surely you ... you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. [6]
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I'll be clean; wash me, and I'll be whiter than snow. [7]- Excerpts from a psalm of David (No 51). Emphasis added
King David adheres greatly to hyssop teachings (above).
So did wise King Solomon [1 Kings 4:31,33], fruit of David's hard-hearted adultery and having an innocent man (Uriah) put in the front line of war so that it was pretty sure he would get killed.
By the way, Jesus died after nearly, almost, being in contact with hyssop - [See John 19:29-30] It was not the fault of hyssop, though. Far from it.
Watch out for what really helps
Ritual healing from infectious skin diseases like leprosy ...
THE LORD said to Moses, [1]"These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he's brought to the priest: [2]
The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, [3]
the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. [Leviticus 14: 1-4 (and there's more too]
The Lord said hyssop is all right
THE LORD said to Moses and Aaron, [33]"When you enter the land of Canaan ... and I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land, [34] [...]
On the seventh day the priest shall return to inspect the house ... [39]
"If ... the mildew hasn't spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the mildew is gone. [48]
To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. [From Leviticus 14:33-49]
Clean with the help of hyssop
THE LORD said to Moses and Aaron: [1]"This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer ... [2]
Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. [3]
Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and ... [4]
While he watches, the heifer is to be burned ... [5]
The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. [6]
"A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it's for purification from sin. [9]
The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the aliens living among them. [From Numbers 19:1-10]
Could all who touched dead people get on together without hyssop?
"ANYONE out in the open who touches ... someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days. [16]"For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. [17]
Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or someone who has been killed or someone who has died a natural death. [18]
The man who is clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify him. ... [19]
But if a person who's unclean doesn't purify himself, he must be cut off from the community ... [20]
This is a lasting ordinance ... [From Numbers 19:16-20]
Other uses of hyssop
Hyssop according to Maude Grieve's Herbal
MRS GRIEVE'S book A Modern Herbal was first published in 1931, and contains folklore of herbs among other things. Below are excerpts from what she writes:Part Used: Herb
Hyssop is a name of Greek origin. The Hyssopos of Dioscorides was named from azob (a holy herb), because it was used for cleaning sacred places. It is alluded to in the Scriptures: 'Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean.'
Cultivation
It is an evergreen, bushy herb, growing 1 to 2 feet high ...Hyssop is cultivated for the use of its flower-tops, which are steeped in water to make an infusion ...sometimes employed as an expectorant. ...
Grown with catmint, it makes a lovely border, backed with Lavender and Rosemary.
As a kitchen herb, it is mostly used for broths and decoctions, occasionally for salad. For medicinal use the flower-tops should be cut in August.
Medicinal Action and Uses
Expectorant, diaphoretic, stimulant, pectoral, carminative. The healing virtues of the plant are due to a particular volatile oil, which is stimulative, carminative and sudorific. It admirably promotes expectoration ...It is usually given as a warm infusion, taken frequently and mixed with Horehound. Hyssop Tea is also a grateful drink ... brewed with the green tops of the herb, which are sometimes boiled in soup to be given for asthma.
In America, an infusion of the leaves is used externally for the relief of muscular rheumatism ...
A tea made with the fresh green tops, and drunk several times daily, is one of the oldfashioned country remedies for rheumatism that is still employed. ...
Preparation
Fluid extract, 30 to 60 drops. marjoram, mint, rosemary and lavender. ... Tradition identifies the Hyssop of Scripture with the familiar herb, Marjoram (origanum), of which six species are found in the Holy Land. ...Dr. J. F. Royle disagrees, and identifies the Hyssop of the Bible with the Caper-plant (Capparis spinosa) ... This view is supported by Canon Tristram and others. The Arabs call it azaf.
The leaves, stems and flowers of H. officinalis possess a highly aromatic odour and yield by distillation an essential oil of exceedingly fine odour, much appreciated by perfumers, its value being even greater than Oil of Lavender ... [Check]
Dr. Nicholas Culpeper on hyssop
There are two books by the English Dr. Culpeper from the 1600s. He surely links plants and astrology.A. Hyssop in his book The English Physician:
THIS IS so well known to be an Inhabitant in every garden, that it will save me labour in writing a description thereof. The virtues are as follows.
VIRTUES AND USE
Dioscorides saith that Hysop boiled with Rue and Honey, and drunk, helps those that are troubled with Coughs, shortness of breath, wheesing, and Rhewmatick Distillations on the lungs: Taken also with Oximel, it purgeth gross Humors by the stool; and with Honey kills Worms in the belly; and with fresh or new Figs bruised, helps to loosen the belly, and more forcibly if the root of flower-de-luce and Cresses be added therto. It amendeth and cherisheth the native colour of the body spoiled by the yellow Jaundice, and being taken with Figs and Nitre helps the dropsie and the spleen. Being boiled with wine, it is good to wash Inflamations: and takes away black and blew Spots and Marks that come by Strokes, Bruises, or falls, being applied with warm Water.[**] Cough, Shortness of breath, Wheesing, Gross Humors, Worms, yellow Jaundice, Dropsie, Spleen, Inflamations, black and blue spots, Quinsie, Toothach, Noise in the ears, Venemous Beasts, Lice, Itching of the head, Falling-sickness, wounds.It is an excellent Medicine for the quinsie, or Swelling in the throat, to wash and gargle it, being boyed with Figs. It helps the toothach, being boiled in Vinegar, and gargled therewith. The hot Vapors of the decoction taken by a Funnel in at the ears, eases the inflamations and singing nois of them: Being bruised and salt, Honey, and Cummin seed put to it, it helps those that are stung by Serpents. The oil thereof being anoynted kills lice, and takes away Itching of the head: It helps those that have the falling-sickness which way soever it be applied: It helps to expectorate tough Flegm, and is effectual in all cold Griefs, or Diseases of the chest and Lungs, being taken either in a Syrup or licking Medicine. The green herb bruised and a little sugar put thereto, doth quickly heal any cut, or green wound, being therunto applied.
The herb is Jupiters, and the sign Cancer; It strengthens all the parts of the body under Cancer and Jupiter, which what they be may be found amply discoursed of in my Astrological Judgement of Diseases.
B. Hyssop in his Dr. Culpeper's
HYSSOP is so well known to be an inhabitant in every garden, that it will save me labour in writing a description thereof. The virtues are as follow.Government and virtues: The herb is Jupiter's, and the sign Cancer. It strengthens all the parts of the body under Cancer and Jupiter; which what they may be, is found amply described in my astrological judgment of diseases. Dioscorides saith, that Hyssop boiled with rue and honey, and drank, helps those that are troubled with coughs, shortness of breath, wheezing and rheumatic distillation upon the lungs; taken also with oxymel, it purges gross humours by stool; and with honey, kills worms in the belly; and with fresh and new figs bruised, helps to loosen the belly, and more forcibly if the root of Flower-de-luce and cresses be added thereto. It amends and cherishes the native colour of the body, spoiled by the yellow jaundice; and being taken with figs and nitre, helps the dropsy and spleen; being boiled with wine, it is good to wash inflammations, and takes away the black and blue spots and marks that come by strokes, bruises, or falls, being applied with warm water. It is an excellent medicine for the quinsy, or swellings in the throat, to wash and gargle it, being boiled in figs; it helps the toothache, being boiled in vinegar and gargled therewith. The hot vapours of the decoction taken by a funnel in at the ears, eases the inflammations and singing noise of them. Being bruised, and salt, honey, and cummin seed put to it, helps those that are stung by serpents. The oil thereof (the head being anointed) kills lice, and takes away itching of the head. It helps those that have the falling sickness, which way soever it be applied. It helps to expectorate tough phlegm, and is effectual in all cold griefs or diseases of the chests or lungs, being taken either in syrup or licking medicine. The green herb bruised and a little sugar put thereto, doth quickly heal any cut or green wounds, being thereunto applied.
PS: The descriptions in the two books are almost identical. It is best not to rely
on Dr. Culpeper from the 1600s in England. [Check "Herbal" on
Britannica Online]
From a modern study
USES: Recommended for: circulatory problems, epilepsy, fever, gout, weight problems, congestion, blood pressure, and dispelling gas. Used externally, helpful for wound healing. Poultices made from fresh green hyssop help to heal cuts. [Check] |
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Adjoined
Ffs: Too, Lillian: The Fundamentals of Feng Shui. Mustard/Parragon. Bath, 1999.Hep: Starý, Fr.: Helbredende planter fra hele Europa: særpreg - virkning - tilberedning. Schibsted. Oslo, 1975.
Hh: Garland, Sarah: Hjemmets store bok om Helseplanter, urter og krydder. Hjemmets bokforlag. Oslo, 1980.
Huvs: Marcussen, Marcus: Helbredende urter: Deres virkning, sammensetning og anvendelse. Bye og Børresen. Oslo, 1950.
Mep: Pahlov, Mannfried: Mitt eget planteapotek. Kolibri. Oslo, 1986.
Mmo: Mességué, Maurice: Mennesker og planter: (en urteleges erindringer). Gyldendal. Oslo, 1973.
Mun: Thomson, William, hovedred.: Medisinske urter: Naturens legende planter. Teknologisk Forlag. Oslo, 1982.
Nas: Parmann, Georg og Diesen, Tove: Naturens spiskammer: Plukkeguide fra vår til høst. Schibsted. Oslo, 1979.
Nif: Vasshaug, Jørgen: Nyttevekster i farger. Aschehoug. Oslo, 1957.
Nvp: Høydahl, Harald S, hovedred.: Nyttevekstboka: Ville planter til mat og drikke. Dreyer. Oslo, 1979.
Pefs: Hale, Gill: The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui. Annes Publishing Ltd. London, 1999.
Svm: Nilsson, Anne: Spiselige vekster i skog og mark. Cappelen. Oslo, 1976.
Tih: Hoffmann, David: The Complete Illustrated Herbal: A Safe and Practial Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies. Mustard/Parragon. Bath, 1999.
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